"The only way to be truly satisfied, is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do."
Steve JobsOnce "inking" gets into your veins you will never be able to live without it. Frank J. GarciaMy Surface PRO 3 'Must Have' Accessories List

Sunday, December 11, 2011

When HP announced a while back that the company was abandon their plans of making Tablets using WebOS as Operating System, I literally thought that that was the stupidest idea that have ever came out from a big company as HP. Well, not counting the idea of not selling PCs anymore.

Today I found out that HP could be making Tablets with WebOS in 2013. And what's more important, they have plans to make WebOS an Open Source OS. Both, excellent news. The fact that they are planning or thinking about it, that's good. The issue is the year. Why 2013? That means that there are many people at HP that still very narrow ideas about the current market. But... At least... This "unofficial" announcement gives us some hope that we will see coming new good ideas and planes from this company.

Sunday, December 04, 2011

What could be a better way to write a review about a device that using that same device to write the review. The Zippy BT-500 does not bring too much new to the market, but convenience. It's a compact BT keyboard, ideal to be used as companion with a Tablet or one of those small media center pcs or video players. And the fact that this keyboard allows you to connect up to 6 devices and switch between them just by pressing Fn+ points you toward the idea or having one small keyboard in your living room to be used with whatever device you need to use at the moment whether it's your tablet, your game console or your Media Center PC.

The keyboard uses two AAA batteries and have an ON/OFF switch at the bottom to maximize the battery life.

The size of it is a little bit smaller than the length of the iPad as you can see from the picture. A person with small hands could easily write more than 35 words per minutes on it. Probably is not something to be used for long periods of time, but definitely a must have in the scenarios above explained.

Due to the thickness of it, probably it's not an ideal companion for a Tablet, check the above picture. But if you carry your Tablet in a backpack or any other type of case, then the Zippy is small enough to be considered for this task.

The Zippy is well constructed. It does not feel cheap. The keys do not rattle if you move the keyboard quickly. There is a little sound coming from the battery compartment that could be eliminated easily with a little sponge put between the battery and the plastic cover.

Conclusion

The Zippy Compact Keyboard is the ideal keyboard for all the devices in your living room. The connectivity to multiple devices make it ideal for this situation. Having the size of a control remote, I'm sure that nobody will complain about it. More if you are replacing with it a full-size keyboard.

Debuting with the January 2012 issue that hits newsstands on Tuesday, December 6th, consumers can subscribe to the iPad edition of Consumer Reports, which includes interactive features and an enhanced version of the monthly magazine. Access to the iPad version is included with all print subscriptions to Consumer Reports magazine.

Additionally, Consumer Reports has expanded its suite of smartphone apps to help consumers make better purchasing decisions in their everyday lives.

“The launch of the digital magazine format and expanded apps provide our readers with even greater access to the advice and reviews they expect and rely on from Consumer Reports,” said Chris Moody, Director and General Manager, Print Products for Consumer Reports.

More than four million print subscribers to Consumer Reports magazine will have access to the iPad app as part of their print subscription. The iPad-only edition of Consumer Reports is available on iTunes at $4.99 for a single issue or by monthly or annual subscriptions priced at $2.99 and $24.99 respectively.

Subscriptions to ConsumerReports.org, that include full access to the mobile website, are $26 and for an additional $12, the iPad edition can be added. Consumer Reports is also available on the Kindle Fire, The NOOKColor and NOOK iPad, iPhone and Android app as well as through Zinio.

The suite of smartphone apps will be available immediately for both iPhones and/or Androids. The apps focus on assisting consumers with their purchasing decisions by providing Ratings, reviews, and advice on a wide array of products and services. The apps that are now available are:

Consumer Reports Appliances ($2.99 for one year, non-recurring) offers consumers peace of mind when shopping for appliances by sharing unbiased Ratings and reviews with a focus on products including dishwashers, washing machines, coffee makers, vacuums, refrigerators, blenders, and clothes dryers. Users can also compare ratings to see how different models stack up against each other.

Consumer Reports Babies & Kids ($0.99 for one year, non-recurring) allows users to make better purchasing decisions when shopping for their babies or kids with Ratings and reviews straight from the expert testers at Consumer Reports. Product areas include car seats, strollers, high chairs, monitors, cribs, bike helmets and more. The app also helps to find the best deals online and locally.

Consumer Reports Eco-Labels ($0.99) which is currently only available for iPhones, helps consumers decipher labels on products. The app offers a complete list of labels and claims, and users can browse by product type or subject. Users can access expert and unbiased label information for food, personal care, and household cleaners so that they can make the best possible purchase decisions.

Consumer Reports Washers & Dryers ($1.99 for one year, non-recurring) gives consumers all the washer and dryer information they need before they buy including Consumer Reports’ Ratings, brand reliability and buying guides.

Consumer Reports Hospital Ratings ($2.99) which is currently only available for iPhones, is a useful tool for consumers planning a hospital stay in the future. This app provides Ratings on how well hospitals performed an a number of areas including overall hospital experience, as well as explanations of drugs and discharge, room cleanliness, and more.

About Consumer ReportsConsumer Reports is the world’s largest independent product-testing organization. Using its more than 50 labs, auto test center, and survey research center, the nonprofit rates thousands of products and services annually. Founded in 1936, Consumer Reports has over 8 million subscribers to its magazine, website and other publications. Its advocacy division, Consumers Union, works for health reform, food and product safety, financial reform, and other consumer issues in Washington, D.C., the states, and in the marketplace.

Note: links in this blog could be affiliated links which means that a small percentage of the sale is being paid by Amazon to the author. Still, the Opinions and Advices expressed here are genuine and not compromised in any way. The author is an Information Technology Professional with two decades of experience in this field and his reputation is valuable to him.

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